Hard Boiled Eggs (Easy to Peel)
Learn how to make hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel! Spoiler alert: it’s the sequence of steps that’s most important. And with the extra tips I’ve listed below, you’ll always have beautiful, perfect hard boiled eggs.
Hard boiled eggs are a frequent ingredient in many meals. They can be cut in half for deviled eggs, diced into egg salad, placed on top of a cobb salad, or eaten on their own with a dash of salt and pepper. And when it comes to prepping, there’s nothing more satisfying than peeling the shell off with no sticking or divots.
But I know the struggle with hard boiled eggs as I’ve been there before. You’re peeling your eggs and chunks of egg white pull off with the skin, leaving you with ugly, pocketed eggs. It’s super disappointing.
So I set out on a mission to test all the tutorials I could find online. And what I learned was that it’s actually no one trick, but rather a series of steps that makes hard boiled eggs easy to peel.
How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Cutting to the chase, it’s a combination of how you cook the eggs, how you cool them, and how you crack the shell afterwards.
The first mistake most people make is starting with cold water to boil eggs. The key is to have a hot boiling start, time it correctly, then shock the eggs in an ice water bath. I describe this in more detail in my how to boil eggs post, but here’s the process.
Prep the Hot and Cold Water
Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Make sure there’s enough water to cover the eggs by about an inch. And while you’re waiting for it to boil, remove the eggs from the fridge (set them on the counter) and prep an ice water bath in a large bowl.
Cook the Eggs Until They’re Hard Boiled
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and use a skimmer to gently and slowly add the eggs into the water. Then, turn the heat back up to a boil. Set a timer and cook the eggs for 12 to 14 minutes. See my egg timer chart.
Put the Eggs in the Ice Water Bath
Once the eggs have cooked to your preferred time, use the skimmer to remove the eggs and immediately submerge them in the ice water bath to stop them from cooking. You’ll let the eggs sit here for about 5 to 10 minutes before peeling.
Tap, Roll, Then Peel the Eggs
To peel hard boiled eggs the easiest way possible, make sure to tap, roll, then peel:
- First, tap the egg on the bottom.
- Then, gently roll the egg on your countertop with the palm of your hand. Cracks will start to form and loosen the outer shell.
- Start peeling from the bottom first (always), as there’s a little air pocket and you’ll be able to get under the membrane. The shell should come off easily from there!
How Long Can You Store Hard Boiled Eggs
You can store hard boiled eggs (with the shell on) for up to a week in the fridge. You can also store peeled eggs in the fridge for up to three days in a storage container without any issues.
Hard Boiled Egg Recipes
Congratulations, you’ve now made the perfect hard boiled egg! You can of course eat them plain with a sprinkle of salt and pepper for a snack. Or you can enjoy some of my favorite hard boiled egg recipes. Here are a few deviled egg recipes I love:
- Bacon Deviled Eggs
- Avocado Deviled Eggs
- Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
- Spicy Deviled Eggs
- Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs
Hard Boiled Eggs Video
Want to see how I make hard boiled eggs in my own kitchen? Watch this quick video below!
More Ways to Cook Eggs
If you’re like me and love eggs, you’re in luck. I have a ton of delicious egg recipes on the website. Here are a few other methods to keep up your sleeve:
- Create the perfect poached egg
- Get crispy edges with this fried egg recipe
- Bake into egg muffins
Easy-to-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 to 6 large eggs
Instructions
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Ensure there’s enough water in the pot to cover the eggs by about an inch.
- While you’re waiting for the water to boil, remove the eggs from the fridge (set them on the counter) and prepare ice water bath in a large bowl.
- Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and use skimmer to gently and slowly add the eggs to the water. Then, turn the heat back up to a boil.
- Set a timer and cook the eggs for 12 to 14 minutes.
- Use the skimmer to remove the eggs and immediately submerge them in the ice water bath to stop them from cooking.
- To peel the eggs, you can either roll them on the countertop gently or tap the egg all around against the countertop to create cracks. Then, peel from the bottom to remove the shell.
Lisa’s Tips
- I love this skimmer as it can easily add and remove multiple eggs at the same time.
Nutrition
Recipe originally published April 2020, but updated to include new information.
I have never had success with the shell peeling off without taking half the white with it. #grateful for someone with the know how willing to share. Thank you!
Glad this method worked out perfectly!
Worked perfectly
Worked perfect!
Just love your site- thank you!
For some reason I fail each time when boiling eggs. My no fail, go to is steaming.
Bring your steamer water to boiling. Once boiling set your eggs in steamer basket, cover and cook for 17 min. Cold water rinse. Perfect and easy to peel every time, brown or white eggs!
I’d love to give a 5 star rating but every single time I have used this recipe, following to a T, several eggs crack. Every single time. I’ve let the water settle as suggested in comments, etc. but they continue to crack. It’s frustrating because the ones that don’t crack DO peel beautifully. HELP!
Ah, bummer! Sometimes I’ve found the brand of eggs can play a role in that. I’d give it a try again with a different brand. :)
Worked perfectly! thank you Lisa. I have been boiling eggs the wrong way for years.
Similar to this recipe, I have typically used a quick cook method that begins by placing eggs in a single layer and filling the pot with water that covers the eggs by one inch. I decided to try this recipe, but it begins by boiling the water THEN adding the eggs. If you follow this recipe, the eggs are easy to peel, BUT, the eggs MUST be at room temperature when using this recipe. Otherwise, the eggs will crack. I would suggest leaving the eggs out in the carton until they are at room temperature. Also, it is important to check time tables based on altitude. I will return to my trusted method of placing the eggs in cold water. bringing them to a boil for several minutes, then covering the pot, then taking the eggs off the heat and allowing them to sit in the pot for approximately 12-14 minutes. The eggs can then be removed and placed into an ice bath. I had high hopes, and I like trying new ideas, but this really didn’t work for me.
Thank you! Thank you! I’m 73 and have tried every hard boiled egg recipe, but yours works!!! I was definitely dubious not starting them in cold water—they’ll surely crack. So I started with just three eggs. Came out perfect. Beginner’s luck I thought. Three more. Perfect! Okay, go for it–six more –perfect. So fun peeling the shell like you do when peeling an apple with a peeler. Thank you!
Haha, yes, it’s definitely a tried and true way to make perfect hard-boiled eggs that are easy to peel! Happy you loved this method as well, Pam. :)
Omg this is spot on !!!! Perfect perfect eggs …. Thank you so much !!
Yay! Always love to hear that. :)
Thank you for sharing this! I make deviled eggs for family gatherings and have struggled to find a way for them to peel easily. This is the only method I have found that worked perfectly! I will no longer dread the boil and peel process of making hard boiled eggs.
I’m glad you found this method helpful, Tiffany!
I followed the directions as noted and all my eggs cracked as I put them in the simmered water…super disappointing
Hi Angie – do make sure that the water is not simmering when you submerge the eggs. Turn off the heat, let the water settle, place the eggs in, then turn the heat back up. :)
What if I need to boil a dozen eggs? Use 2 pots?
Yes, or a very large stock pot.
How long do you keep the eggs in the ice bath?
About 5 to 10 minutes!
It worked! The shell practically fell off just when I cracked it to start peeling
The first time I used this recipe my hard boiled eggs came out perfectly. Peeled easily and the yolks were done and no green/grey rim. Now I’m doing it again and I’m hoping for the same results.
The shells peeled so perfectly! I like to take the egg and shake in in a cup to loosen the shell. Such a great method! Thank you.
Glad this method worked wonders Jensen!
My kids love boiled eggs, but I do not love peeling them. Until I tried your directions. It was amazing! Peeled perfectly and boiled perfectly too.
Used your instructions today. I was utterly shocked when my eggs peeled perfectly. I have been doing this wrong my entire adult life. I have always been so frustrated as I ripped my eggs while peeling the shells. But never again! Thanks so much!!